ASK IRA: Has summer league set up Kel’el Ware for a fasttrack with the Heat?

Q: Hi, Ira, is it premature to be getting excited about the potential of Kel’el Ware? He appears to be a very natural athlete for his size and has excellent basketball instincts, such as his timing when slipping screens. I think this is another case of the Heat getting top-third talent with a middle-round pick. – Ray, Deerfield Beach.

A: And the Heat’s recent history of scoring outside of the top 10 of the draft certainly is impressive, considering Bam Adebayo was taken at No. 14 in 2017, Tyler Herro at No. 13 in 2019, Nikola Jovic at No. 27 in 2022, Jaime Jaquez Jr. at No. 18 in 2023 and now Kel’el Ware at No. 15 last month. But I also would caution about overstating summer league, considering some of the centers Kel’el has gone against these past two weeks likely couldn’t even make it in the G League, So let’s see what happens when he is tenderized by NBA-level size, strength and savvy. I think the preseason will be eye-opening for Kel’el, as will banging with Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love and even Thomas Bryant in camp. That said, the summer has been heartening and Kel’el’s journey certainly has begun with more than a few impressive steps.

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Q: I didn’t get to see Friday night because I’m not paying to stream summer league. But, man, going up 40 in any game isn’t easy. – Allen.

A: While this summer’s Heat roster doesn’t have the star elements as, say, those Heat summer rosters with Caron Butler, Dwyane Wade or even Michael Beasley, I’m not sure the Heat have featured this type of depth of talent in July. Several of the Heat’s summer reserves likely would stand as summer stars on the rosters of other teams. And, remarkably, with a mere three weeks together, those players actually are playing like a team. Summer basketball often can be a difficult watch (just ask Raptors fans about Friday night). But this Heat team in Las Vegas . . . actually looks like a team.

Q: You mentioned Cole Swider not having a contact, but what about Man Man? Alondes Williams looked good again Friday. – Sandy.

A: Yes, he did, albeit without the type of jaw-dropping dunk he offered two days earlier against the Mavericks. One element that still resonates is how Erik Spoelstra during previous summers has mentioned how the Heat summer program not only is about fortifying the Heat roster, but also creating opportunities for players to land elsewhere. To that end, the Heat certainly have offered ample exposure for Alondes and Cole Swider with the runway they have provided this summer. Do the two belong on an NBA roster? Certainly. Will they be with the Heat? That’s where the salary math gets in the way.